Public contributes more than $400,000 to Mary Lou Retton's health care fund
Olympic champion gymnast Mary Lou Retton has been “fighting for her life,” according to her daughters, as she continues to battle a rare form of pneumonia in an ICU unit at a Texas hospital.
And nearly 40 years after her Olympic triumph, the public has responded to a fundraising effort by donating more than $400,000 to help cover Retton's health care costs.
Retton's daughter McKenna Kelley wrote on Spotfund that, out of respect for her mother's privacy, she would not disclose many details, but noted that the family would need help covering expenses.
Kelley originally shared the news of her mother's condition in a Tuesday afternoon Instagram story.
The crowdfunding campaign to assist with Retton's medical bills had a $50,000 goal but as of Friday afternoon, donations have surpassed $400,000 and continued to grow.
On Thursday, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee told USA TODAY's Christine Brennan that staff had started a process to send financial assistance to Retton.
“The USOPC supports the United States Olympians & Paralympians Relief Fund to offer aid to U.S. Olympians and Paralympians facing significant hardships due to illness, death or extenuating circumstances,” USOPC spokeswoman Kate Hartman told Brennan.
Olympics: USOPC working on financial assistance for Mary Lou Retton, who remains hospitalized
Retton at 1984 Summer Olympics
Retton won five medals, including a gold at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, becoming the first American to win an Olympic individual all-around event and earning her the nickname “America’s newest darling.” The 1984 Summer Olympics was the first time the Summer Olympics had been held in the United State in 52 years.
Retton's performance at the 1984 Olympics earned her a spot as the first female athlete to be on the Wheaties cereal box and propelled the popularity of gymnastics in the United States.
Opinion: Nearly 40 years since she barreled into history, America still loves Mary Lou Retton
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mary Lou Retton's crowdfunding raises over $400,000 for health care
